Energy collection pod

ABSTRACT

This disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for an energy capturing pod (ECP). The ECP includes a specialized funnel shell, a first turbine, and a second turbine. The specialized funnel shell is designed to accelerate in coming wind speed and is structured with a first choke point and a second choke point for wind. The first turbine is located at the first choke point. The second turbine is located at the second choke point.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/472,725, filed Mar. 29, 2017, which is hereby incorporated byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates in general to capturing energy of wind power andsolar power, more particularly, to systems and methods for capturingenergy from high-speed man-made wind and light from the sun intoelectrical power.

BACKGROUND

The cost of oil and certain other energy resources continues to rise.There is also much concern regarding the environmental impact of the useof certain forms of energy. These are among the many factors that haveled to an increased focus on the development of cheaper, cleaner,alternative forms of energy.

One alternative energy form is wind power, or more specifically theconversion of wind power to electric power. Windmills, or wind turbinesmay be used to receive the renewable resource of wind and convert thewind into a useful power supply, such as electricity. The electricitycan then be delivered to a power grid. A single turbine can be deployedin a certain area. However, a more typical scenario is the creation of awind farm, or a group of wind turbines, in an area that has relativelystrong and steady prevailing winds. The turbines of the wind farm eachgenerate their own power and the power is collectively distributed to apower grid.

SUMMARY

This disclosure provides an energy capturing pod (ECP) and relatedmethods.

In a first embodiment, an ECP for capturing energy from wind isprovided. The ECP includes a specialized funnel shell, a first turbine,and a second turbine. The specialized funnel shell is structured with afirst choke point and a second choke point for wind. The first turbineis located at the first choke point. The second turbine is located atthe second choke point.

In a second embodiment, an ECP system for capturing energy from wind isprovided. The ECP system includes an ECP server and a plurality of ECPs.The ECP server monitors and controls the ECPs. Each ECP a specializedfunnel shell, a first turbine, and a second turbine. The specializedfunnel shell is structured with a first choke point and a second chokepoint for wind. The first turbine is located at the first choke point.The second turbine is located at the second choke point.

In a third embodiment, a method is provided for controlling an ECP forcapturing energy from wind is provided. The method includes increasing aspeed of wind using a first choke point and a second choke point of aspecialized funnel shell. The method also includes generating electricalenergy from wind using a first turbine located at the first choke pointand a second turbine located at the second choke point.

Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION below, it may beadvantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases usedthroughout this patent document: the terms “include” and “comprise,” aswell as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term“or,” is inclusive, meaning and/or; and the phrases “associated with”and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean toinclude, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be containedwithin, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with,cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to orwith, have, have a property of, or the like. It should be noted that thefunctionality associated with any particular controller may becentralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely. Definitions forcertain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document,those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, ifnot most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as futureuses of such defined words and phrases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and itsadvantages, reference is now made to the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like referencenumerals represent like parts:

FIG. 1A illustrates an example energy capturing pod (ECP) according tothis disclosure;

FIG. 1B illustrates a cross section of a specialized funnel shell of theECP 100 according to the various embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 1C illustrates a specialized funnel shell, with attached wheel,battery, and solar panel according to the various embodiments of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 2A illustrates an example placement of ECPs around a helipadaccording to the various embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2B illustrates an example placement of the ECPs along railroadtracks according to the various embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2C illustrates an example airport runway and taxiway configurationand the placement of two groups of ECPs according to the variousembodiments of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an example cluster of the ECPs for convertingwind and solar power into electric energy according to variousembodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example cluster with rotated ECPs according to thevarious embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates an example turbine according to the variousembodiments of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate example clusters of ECPs located at the end ofa runway according to the various embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate example devices in a computing system accordingto this disclosure; and

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary process for controlling an ECP forcapturing energy from wind according to various embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1A through 9, discussed below, and the various embodiments used todescribe the principles of the present disclosure in this patentdocument are by way of illustration only and should not be construed inany way to limit the scope of the disclosure.

FIG. 1A illustrates an energy capturing pod (ECP) 100 according to thevarious embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 1B illustrates across section 101 of a specialized funnel shell 105 of the ECP 100according to the various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 1Cillustrates a specialized funnel shell, with attached wheels, battery,and solar panel according to the various embodiments of the presentdisclosure. The embodiments of the ECP 100 illustrated in FIG. 1A, thecross section 101 illustrated in FIG. 1B, and the specialized funnelshell 105 illustrated in FIG. 1C are for illustration only. FIGS. 1A,1B, and 1C do not limit the scope of this disclosure to any particularimplementation of an ECP 100.

The ECP 100 is a transportable apparatus for generating electricalenergy from wind energy and solar energy. The ECP 100 includes a windincreasing specialized funnel shell 105, a plurality of turbines 110, aplurality of solar panels 115, at least one battery 120, an energytransfer port 125, and a plurality of wheels 130. In certainembodiments, the ECP 100 includes a single specialized funnel shell 105and a single turbine 110. The ECP 100 can be used on runways of airportsto capture man-made wind power from the airplanes during both taxiingand takeoff. The ECP 100 can be placed at the ends of runways, at turnsof the runway, along the edge of a runway, or any other location thatexperience significant wind energy from the high-speed man made winds.While the main embodiment focuses on capturing man-made wind power fromairplanes, the ECP 100 can be used for any application that experiencesfocused wind energy, including railroads, tunnels, etc. For example, theECP 100 can be place at the edge of a helipad to capture the wind energythat spreads outwards from the downward thrust of the propellers duringtakeoff and landing.

The specialized funnel shell 110 is designed to take advantage of theVenturi effect, air foil principles, and Bernoulli's principle toincrease a velocity of the wind at a first choke 135 and a second choke140. A front row 150 of turbines 110 are located towards the front ofthe ECP 100 at the first choke 135 and a second row 155 of turbines 110are located towards the back of the ECP 100 at the regular choke 140.The first choke 135 is narrower than a portion 145 of the specializedfunnel shell 110 located after the first choke 135. In other words thespecialized funnel shell 110 narrows at the first choke and expandsafter the first choke 135. The turbines 110 are used to capture the windenergy. An ECP 100 can include any number of turbines 110. Thespecialized funnel shell 110 includes a horizontal top airfoil, ahorizontal bottom airfoil, and two vertical side airfoils. At a neck ofthe specialized funnel shell 110, the horizontal top airfoil, thehorizontal bottom airfoil, and the two vertical side airfoils aresubstantially linear along a width and a height, respectively, of thespecialized funnel shell 110. Also at the neck of the specialized funnelshell 110, the horizontal top airfoil and the two vertical side airfoilsmeet as corners and the horizontal bottom airfoil and the two verticalside airfoils also meet as corners. The first row 150 of turbines 110and the second row 155 of turbines 110 are independent turbines 110,where each turbine 110 is on a separate axle. A first accelerationoccurs at the neck of the specialized funnel shell and a secondacceleration occurs at a back of the specialized funnel shell.

The turbines 110 are used to capture the wind energy. An ECP 100 caninclude any number of turbines 110. The turbines 110 on an ECP 100 canhave different gear ratios based on a suitable implementation. Forexample, the man-made wind power off the back of an airplane is focus ata downward angle. A higher gear ratio could be used for the turbines 110at the bottom of the ECP 100 to capture the stronger man-made windvelocities experienced in this manner. The amount and placement of theturbines 110 can be maximized for different implementations based on thenecessary gear ratios. The turbines 110 are manufactured with materialsand components that withstand high wind speeds.

The turbines 110 on an ECP 100 can have different gear ratios based on asuitable implementation. For example, the man-made wind off the back ofan airplane is focus at a downward angle. A higher gear ratio could beused for the turbines 110 at the bottom of the ECP 100 to capture thestronger man-made wind velocities experienced in this manner. The amountand placement of the turbines 110 can be maximized for differentimplementations based on the necessary gear ratios. The turbines 110 aremanufactured with materials and components that withstand high windspeeds. For example, an ECP 100 positioned directly in line behind anengine of an airplane in takeoff requires a higher gear ratio for theturbine. The gear ratio of the turbine is based on the rotation of therotor and the output of the generator. A high gear ratio is helpful forfaster velocities of wind to keep the generator from exploding. The gearratio allows the generator to capture more energy from the wind byrequiring more energy to rotate the rotor. The ECP 100 can include amain turbine 110 in the center of the ECP 100, while encircled withturbines 110 with a smaller gear ratio. A cross section of thespecialized funnel shell in the direction of the wind provides a shapeof the walls with a curvature similar to the bottom of an aircraft wing.

The solar panels 115 are installed on the outer walls of the ECP 100.For cases where multiple ECPs 100 are used in a set or array, the solarpanels 115 can be only mounted on the top of the ECP 100. The solarpanels 115 collect energy from the sun. Because the efficiency of solarpanels 115 drops drastically from indirect light, the solar panels 115can be configured to rotate based on time of the day or based ondetecting the greatest energy captured.

The battery 120 stores energy captured from both the turbines 110 andthe solar panels 115. The ECP 100 can include both permanent andremovable batteries 120. When a battery 120 is full, the ECP 100provides a notification. For the case of the permanent battery 120, theECP can be moved to a location to plug into the grid for distribution ofthe stored energy. For the case of the removable battery 120, theremovable battery 120 is removed from the ECP 100 and taken to a batteryrack to transfer the energy to the grid or for use internally at theairport. The ECP 100 can include a plurality of both permanent andremovable batteries 120. The batteries 120 can charge evenly or beconfigured to charge one at a time. The batteries can be connected to aspecific turbine 110, groups of turbines 110, solar panel 115, group ofsolar panels 115, or a combination of turbines and solar panels. Forexample, the batteries 120 can be set to receive energy captured byturbines 110 and solar panels 115 in a same row or column. The batteries120 can be located at the base of the ECP 100, as illustrated, or anyother position of the ECP 100. For example, the batteries 120 could belocated on the side or back of the ECP 100 for easy access to exchange.The battery is designed to charge for twenty four hours of continuousoperation. Where the continuous operation would be the largest windspeed caused by the man-made object or structure. Examples of batteriesthat could be used in an ECP 100 include lead acid batteries,lithium-ion batteries, flow batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, nickeliron batteries, etc.

The ECP 100 also includes at least one energy transfer port 125. Theenergy transfer port 125 can be used to connect multiple ECPs 100 in aset or array to transfer the captured energy. The energy transfer port125 can be configured to receive energy from other ECPs or similarapparatuses or transmit energy of the ECP 100 to other ECPs 100 orsimilar apparatuses. For example, when an ECP 100 is included in anarray of ECPs, the captured energy can be transmitted to neighboringECPs 100 when a battery 120 is removed for transfer to the energy grid.Thus, the ECP 100 with a removed battery 120 can still store the captureenergy in a neighbor ECP 100 battery 120. The ECP 100 could include anenergy transfer port 125 on both sides. A cable could be inserted intothe energy transfer port 125 of a first ECP 100 and the energy transferport 125 of a neighboring ECP 100.

The ECP 100 also includes a plurality of retractable wheels 130 fortransportability purposes. The retractable wheels 130 could face thefront, as illustrated, or sideways. The benefit to placing theretractable wheels 130 sideways would decrease the chance of movementdue to the wind energy being captured. In other terms, the wind energywould blow in a perpendicular direction to the movement path.

FIG. 2A illustrates an example placement 200 of ECPs 100 around ahelipad 206 according to the various embodiments of the presentdisclosure. FIG. 2B illustrates an example placement 201 of the ECPs 100along railroad tracks 207 according to the various embodiments of thepresent disclosure. FIG. 2C illustrates an example airport runway andtaxiway configuration 202 and the placement of two groups of ECPs 215and 220 according to the various embodiments of the present disclosure.The embodiments of the placement 200 on the helipad 206 illustrated inFIG. 2A, the placement 201 along the railroad tracks 207 illustrates inFIG. 2B, and airport runway and taxiway configuration 202 illustrated inFIG. 2C are for illustration only. FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C do not limit thescope of this disclosure to any particular implementation of an ECPconfiguration.

FIG. 2A illustrates placement 200 of ECPs 100 around a helipad 206. Asshown, the ECPs are positioned in a circle around the location where ahelicopter would take off or land. ECPs could be placed in a completecircle or in a partial circle. For example, more ECPS could bepositioned around the helipad 206, leaving only a space for entering andexiting the helicopter on the ground.

FIG. 2B illustrates placement 201 of ECPs 100 along railroad tracks 207.The ECPs are angled in a direction to capture the wind pushed off thetrain passing by. The ECPs can be located on both side of the track orone a single side of the track.

FIG. 2C illustrates two clusters of ECPs 215 and 220 strategicallyplaced at two different positions on an airfield. In this example, theclusters of ECPs 215 and 220 are used to capture the man-made windcreated by aircraft exhaust and convert that wind into electric energy.

As shown in FIG. 2C, first cluster 215 is arranged at the takeoff end225 of runway 205. Thus the wind created by the engine man-made wind ofjet 230 (together with any prevailing natural wind) creates an airflow235 in the direction of arrow 240, which impacts the ECPs of cluster 215to generate electric power. Similarly, second cluster 220 is positionedat the exhaust end of an engine run-up area on taxiway 210. The windcreated by the engine exhaust of jet 245 (together with any prevailingnatural wind) creates an airflow 250 in the direction of arrow 255,which impacts the ECPs of cluster 220 to generate electric power. Itshould be noted that the clusters may be arranged at any of a variety ofadvantageous locations about the airfield in order to harness man-madewind, or other natural or man-made airflows.

Other aspects and features may be incorporated into one or more of thevarious embodiments. For instance, as previously mentioned, one or moreclusters may be mounted at various locations, such as various positionson an airfield. For instance, FIG. 2C illustrates a first cluster 215and a second cluster 220. First cluster 215 may have associatedtherewith one or more storage devices or other electrical powertransmission components. Similarly, second cluster 220 may haveassociated therewith one or more storage devices or other electricalpower transmission components. Power from first cluster 215 may betransported by removing a full battery 120 or moving an ECP with a fullbattery 120 to a substation or warehouse 20. Power from second cluster220 may be transported by removing a full battery 120 or moving an ECPwith a full battery 120 to a substation or warehouse 20. Power may thenbe transmitted from the substation or warehouse via power transmissioncable to power grid 265 and/or to facilities 70, or to other storagedevices or electrical transmission devices, transmission components, orother electrical components as desired.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an example cluster 300 of the ECPs 305 forconverting wind into electric energy according to various embodiments ofthe present disclosure. The embodiments of the cluster 300 illustratedin FIGS. 3A and 3B are for illustration only. FIGS. 3A and 3B do notlimit the scope of this disclosure to any particular implementation of acluster. For convenience of illustration, the ECPs 305 of FIG. 3Binclude a single turbine 310. But as described previously, the ECPs 305could each include a plurality of turbines 310.

As shown, there is provided a cluster 300 comprising a plurality of ECPs305. ECPs 305 may be provided as individual units, which may be arrangedadjacent one another. In one example, the weight of the units keeps theunits arranged adjacently. Alternatively, the units may be fixedlycoupled together by any suitable coupling mechanism (not expresslyshown). This might include, for example having one or more boltsextending outwardly from the side of one unit to fit in a correspondingslot provided on the side of an adjacent unit. Or, the units may bebolted together. Another possible connection mechanism might be a latchor bar overlapping a portion of the front, back, and/or top of twoadjacent units. These are examples only, and it will be readilyunderstood that any suitable coupling device or method may be employedto join the units together. As yet another alternative for keeping theunits in position, the units may be placed on a base (not expresslyshown). In one embodiment, a base is affixed at any, some, or all of thepositions, such as the various potential positions on an airfield, whereit is anticipated that one or more units might be installed. This mightbe achieved, for example, by affixing a metal base on a concrete footer.The metal base may be provided with preformed holes, or otherappropriate receptacles, for receiving coupling mechanisms to affix theunit(s) to the base. Again, this is an example only, and manypossibilities exist for a configuration employing a base. Again, itshould be understood that the individual turbines, groups of turbinesand/or turbine clusters may be transportable or fixed.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, for example, there isshown a configuration comprising a single row of ECPs 305. Each unit hasa turbine 136, or set of turbine blades, such as the sets shown in FIG.3B. It should be understood that any of a variety of turbine devices maybe used to receive wind. In one embodiment, the turbine blades comprisea high-strength plastic capable of withstanding high wind speeds andhigh rotational speeds. Any suitable material, however, may be used. Inone embodiment, the blades are arranged in a pattern of four bladesequally spaced around a central hub. It will be understood, however,that this is an example only and a variety of blade formations andconfigurations are possible.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the cluster 300 receives an airflow 315. Asmentioned previously, in an airport environment, the airflow may becreated by the man-made wind of an aircraft. This might be exhaustedoutput from the engines of a jet airplane. The wind might be created byother sources, such as propellers of an aircraft. Also, the airflowmight be partially or totally natural. For example, an airport mighthave a runway aligned so that planes are normally taking off in thedirection of a prevailing wind. Thus, the man-made wind (or propellerwind) and the prevailing natural wind at the takeoff end of the runwaymight combine to create the overall airflow impacting the turbinecluster.

As the airflow 315 impacts the cluster 300, a portion of the airflowimpacts one or more of the individual ECPs 305. Each of the ECPs 305 hasan associated battery 120. As airflow 315 impacts a particular unit, itcauses rotation of the turbine blades. This rotation in turn causes theECP 305 to convert the wind energy into electricity to be stored in thebattery 120. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A, each of the ECPs 305 iscoupled to the neighboring ECP 320 using the energy transfer port 125.The captured energy can be stored in the individual batteries 120 of theECPs 100 or can be transferred. Each ECP 305 can be configuredseparately on the storage protocols. For example, an ECP 305 located atthe center of the cluster 300 might be more difficult to access. In thiscase, the center ECPs 305 can be configured to transfer all or a largeportion of the captured energy to the ECPs 305 at the ends of thecluster. In certain embodiments, the ECPS 100 can transfer theelectrical energy to a singly battery or bank of batteries associatedwith or connected to multiple ECPs.

In the embodiment with permanent batteries 120, the clusters 300 can beconfigured to transfer all capture energy to an ECP 305 at the end ofthe cluster 300. Once the battery or batteries are full on the ECP 305at the end, the ECP 305 is removed for transfer of the energy to thegrid and the other ECPs 305 can be shifted or a new ECP 305 can beinserted at the end of the cluster 300.

In certain embodiments, power generated from the ECPs 305 may betransmitted to a storage device (e.g., a battery or set of batteries),to a preexisting power grid, or through an arrangement of additionalelectrical power components to one or more power drains (e.g., houses ina neighborhood adjacent to the airport, or to airport facilities, or toan electrical system of a building on which the cluster has beeninstalled). Thus, the power may be stored, or transmitted directly toone or more devices or facilities requiring electric power.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example cluster 400 with rotated ECPs 405according to the various embodiments of the present disclosure. Theembodiment of the cluster 400 illustrated in FIG. 4 is for illustrationonly. FIG. 4 does not limit the scope of this disclosure to anyparticular implementation of a cluster 400.

In the illustrated embodiment, the ECPs 405 are angled along an air flowpath 420. As an example, the angled air flow 420 could occur along thesides of a runway as a plane is taxiing or taking off, along traintracks, helipads, tunnels, etc. Each ECP 405 can be positioned the sameor different amount about a point 410 depending on the profile of theair flow path 420. While taxiing, the plane moves at a more constantrate generating a more uniform profile of the air flow path. In thissituation, the angle of rotation of the position compared to the runwaycan be similar for the entire cluster 400. While taking off, a plane isincreasing in velocity generating a profile with a changing angle. Inthis situation the ECPs 405 further down the runway can be positionedmore or less depending on the angle of the air flow path 420 at thatpart of the profile.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example turbine 500 according to the variousembodiments of the present disclosure. The embodiment of the turbine 500illustrated in FIG. 5 is for illustration only. FIG. 5 does not limitthe scope of this disclosure to any particular embodiment of a turbine.

As shown in FIG. 5, a turbine 500 may be configured as a pod having arotor 505 housed therein. Pod body 510 extends from a first (intake) end515 to a second (output) end 520. The intake end 515 is the circularportion at the interior of the specialized funnel shell 105, illustratedin FIG. 1. The air flow 525 that passes through the turbine 500 out theoutput end 520 can be output in any direction. Such manipulation of theair flow 525 can be focused to a secondary ECP 100 located behind. Forexample, in the ECP arrangement illustrated in FIG. 7, the single ECPs715 down the runway can focus the man-made wind to the set of ECPS 720.And the set of ECPs 720 can redirect the man-made wind to the array ofECPS 710 at the end of the runway 700. This recapture of air flow 525exiting the turbine 500 can enhance the energy capturing ability of theECPs 100.

In one example, the turbine 500 is tapered so that a cross-sectionalarea of the pod body 510 decreases from the input end 515 to the outputend 520. Among other things, this produces a nozzle effect for theairflow passing through the pod body 510. Airflow 525 generated from jetexhausts during takeoff can be as great as 200 mph or more at 150 feetor more from the end of the jet. The funnel effect of the pod body 510can increase the speed of the airflow impacting the rotor 505, therebyincreasing the corresponding amount of electric power being generated bythe respective turbine 500. In the example shown, the pod body 510 alsohouses shaft 530 and generator 535. The air flow 525 impacting the rotor505 causes the rotor 505 to rotate the shaft 530. The rotation of theshaft causes the generator 535 to translate the wind power into electricenergy. A power transfer cable 540 extends from the output end 520 ofthe pod body 510. The electrical energy converted by the generator 535is transmitted through the power transfer cable 540 either to thebattery 120 or to the energy transfer port 125.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate example clusters 605 and 705 of ECPs 100located at the end of a runway 600 and 700 according to the variousembodiments of the present disclosure. The embodiments of the clusters605 and 705 illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 are for illustration only.FIGS. 6 and 7 do not limit the scope of this disclosure to anyparticular implementation of a cluster of ECPs.

ECPs 100 may also be arranged behind one another or in front of oneanother with respect to the direction of airflow. Likewise, turbines maybe arranged above or below one another with respect to the ground. Anyconfiguration may be used as desired in this regard. In one example, asshown in FIG. 6, a cluster 605 is provided in which each turbine orgroup of turbines is arranged to be substantially axially aligned with acenterline of a runway 600. Thus, the axes of the turbines are alignedwith the flow of man-made wind from a jet lined up on the runway as theexhaust exits the engines.

In an alternate configuration, as shown in FIG. 7, a cluster 705 isarranged so that some of the turbines are axially aligned with therunway 700. However, other turbines are positioned so that they will beaxially aligned with portions of the jet exhaust flow which diverge fromparallel with the runway. In other words, as the exhaust, and windscreated by the exhaust, travel away from the jet's engines, a certainportion of the flow can be expected to shift to a direction that is nolonger parallel with the runway. One or more non-parallel turbines(i.e., toward the outer ends of the cluster) are preferably aligned withthese portions of the airflow. Also, additional turbines may bepositioned along the edges of the runway, as illustrated, to capturedivergent airflow as the jet moves along the runway. In another example(not expressly shown), one or more turbines may be arranged on anexhaust deflector such as those found at the end of certain runways oradjacent to hangars or repair bays. These deflectors may exist, forinstance, in situations where the man-made wind would otherwisenegatively impact an adjacent structure or property. Such deflectorstructures are used to divert the man-made wind upward and away from theground.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate example devices in a computing system accordingto this disclosure. In particular, FIG. 8 illustrates an example ECPserver 800, and FIG. 9 illustrates an example electronic device 900. Theembodiments of the server 800 illustrated in FIG. 8 and the electronicdevice 900 illustrated in FIG. 9 are for illustration only. FIGS. 8 and9 do not limit the scope of this disclosure to any particular embodimentof a server or an electronic device.

As shown in FIG. 8, the server 800 includes a bus system 805, whichsupports communication between at least one processing device 810, atleast one storage device 815, at least one communications unit 820, andat least one input/output (I/O) unit 825.

The processing device 810 executes instructions that may be loaded intoa memory 830. The processing device 810 may include any suitablenumber(s) and type(s) of processors or other devices in any suitablearrangement. Example types of processing devices 810 includemicroprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, fieldprogrammable gate arrays, application specific integrated circuits, anddiscreet circuitry.

The memory 830 and a persistent storage 835 are examples of storagedevices 815, which represent any structure(s) capable of storing andfacilitating retrieval of information (such as data, program code,and/or other suitable information on a temporary or permanent basis).The memory 830 may represent a random access memory or any othersuitable volatile or non-volatile storage device(s). The memory 830includes an ECP application 840. The persistent storage 835 may containone or more components or devices supporting longer-term storage ofdata, such as a ready only memory, hard drive, flash memory, or opticaldisc.

The ECP application 840 includes different modes for managing aplurality of ECPs 100 across an airport or a plurality of airports. TheECP application 840 includes operations that are described in detail inFIG. 10.

The communications unit 820 supports communications with other systemsor devices. For example, the communications unit 820 could include anetwork interface card or a wireless transceiver facilitatingcommunications over a network. The communications unit 820 may supportcommunications through any suitable physical or wireless communicationlink(s).

The I/O unit 825 allows for input and output of data. For example, theI/O unit 825 may provide a connection for user input through a keyboard,mouse, keypad, touchscreen, or other suitable input device. The I/O unit825 may also send output to a display, printer, or other suitable outputdevice.

As described in more detail above, the server 800 manages operation of aplurality of ECPs 100.

As shown in FIG. 9, the electronic device 900 includes an antenna 905, aradio frequency (RF) transceiver 910, transmit (TX) processing circuitry915, a microphone 920, and receive (RX) processing circuitry 925. Theelectronic device 900 also includes a speaker 930, a processor 940, aninput/output (I/O) interface (IF) 945, an input 950, a display 955, anda memory 960. The memory 960 includes an operating system (OS) program961 and one or more applications 962.

The RF transceiver 910 receives, from the antenna 905, an incoming RFsignal transmitted by another component in a system. The RF transceiver910 down-converts the incoming RF signal to generate an intermediatefrequency (IF) or baseband signal. The IF or baseband signal is sent tothe RX processing circuitry 925, which generates a processed basebandsignal by filtering, decoding, and/or digitizing the baseband or IFsignal. The RX processing circuitry 925 transmits the processed basebandsignal to the speaker 930 (such as for voice data) or to the processor940 for further processing (such as for web browsing data).

The TX processing circuitry 915 receives analog or digital voice datafrom the microphone 920 or other outgoing baseband data (such as webdata, e-mail, or interactive video game data) from the processor 940.The TX processing circuitry 915 encodes, multiplexes, and/or digitizesthe outgoing baseband data to generate a processed baseband or IFsignal. The RF transceiver 910 receives the outgoing processed basebandor IF signal from the TX processing circuitry 915 and up-converts thebaseband or IF signal to an RF signal that is transmitted via theantenna 905.

The processor 940 can include one or more processors or other processingdevices and execute the OS program 961 stored in the memory 960 in orderto control the overall operation of the electronic device 900. Forexample, the processor 940 could control the reception of forwardchannel signals and the transmission of reverse channel signals by theRF transceiver 910, the RX processing circuitry 925, and the TXprocessing circuitry 915 in accordance with well-known principles. Insome embodiments, the processor 940 includes at least one microprocessoror microcontroller.

The processor 940 is also capable of executing other processes andprograms resident in the memory 960. The processor 940 can move datainto or out of the memory 960 as required by an executing process. Insome embodiments, the processor 940 is configured to execute theapplications 962 based on the OS program 961 or in response to signalsreceived from external devices or an operator. The processor 940 is alsocoupled to the I/O interface 945, which provides the electronic device900 with the ability to connect to other devices such as laptopcomputers and handheld computers. The I/O interface 945 is thecommunication path between these accessories and the processor 940.

The processor 940 is also coupled to the input 950 and the display unit955. The operator of the electronic device 900 can use the input 950 toenter data into the electronic device 900. For example, the input 950may be a keypad, touchscreen, button, etc. The display 955 may be aliquid crystal display or other display capable of rendering text and/orat least limited graphics, such as from web sites.

The memory 960 is coupled to the processor 940. Part of the memory 960could include a random access memory (RAM), and another part of thememory 960 could include a flash memory or other read-only memory (ROM).The memory also includes an ECP application 962 for regulating atransfer of the electrical energy and monitoring a speed of a turbineand a charge level of a battery.

The ECP application 962 on the electronic device 900 includes theoperations described below in FIG. 10.

As described in more detail below, the electronic device 900 controls anECP capturing wind energy, regulating a transfer of the electricalenergy and monitoring a speed of a turbine and a charge level of abattery.

Although FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate examples of devices in a computingsystem, various changes may be made to FIGS. 8 and 9. For example,various components in FIGS. 8 and 9 could be combined, furthersubdivided, or omitted and additional components could be addedaccording to particular needs. As a particular example, the processor940 could be divided into multiple processors, such as one or morecentral processing units (CPUs) and one or more graphics processingunits (GPUs). Also, while FIG. 9 illustrates the electronic device 900configured as a mobile telephone or smartphone, electronic devices couldbe configured to operate as other types of mobile or stationary devices.In addition, as with computing and communication networks, electronicdevices and servers can come in a wide variety of configurations, andFIGS. 8 and 9 do not limit this disclosure to any particular electronicdevice or server.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary process 1000 for controlling an ECP forcapturing energy from wind according to various embodiments of thepresent disclosure. For example, the process depicted in FIG. 10 may beperformed by an ECP 100 illustrated in FIG. 1. The process may also beimplemented by an electronic device 900 illustrated in FIG. 9.

In operation 1005, the ECP increases a speed of wind using a specializedfunnel shell. The specialized funnel shell is located upwind of theturbine. In certain embodiments the specialized funnel shell is aVenturi nozzle. The greater the speed of the wind, the more wind energyis captured.

In operation 1010, the ECP captures wind energy using a turbine. Theturbine is manufactured of materials that can accept high speed windvelocity. The ECP can include a plurality of turbines. Each turbineincludes a generator that receives rotational energy created by the windenergy spinning the rotor and generates electrical energy.

In operation 1015, the ECP regulates a transfer of the electrical energyconverted from the captured wind energy. The ECP can transfer theelectrical energy to a first battery, a second battery, or an energytransfer port. The ECP can transfer the electrical energy to a singlecomponent or divert different amounts of the electrical energy todifferent components. For example, a first portion can be transmitted tothe first battery, the second portion can be transmitted to the secondbattery, and a third portion can be exported out the energy transferport.

In certain embodiments, a number of ECPs are connected in series. EachECP includes at least two energy transfer ports. A first ECP in a seriescan export electrical energy to a second ECP. The second ECP can storethe received electrical energy from the first ECP or further export to athird ECP.

The series of ECPs can be control to divert electrical energy indifferent ways. The instructions can be manually programmed at each ECPor controlled by an ECP server. The ECPs can be controlled to directelectrical energy to a closest end of a series of ECPs or can becontrolled to direct the electrical energy to a single end. When theamount of electricity being transferred through an ECP is too much forthe connection between ECPs, the ECP can store the excess electricalenergy in the first battery or the second battery.

In operation 1020, the ECP stores the electrical energy in a firstbattery. The first battery stores electrical energy generated by theturbine capturing wind energy. The first battery can be removed orreplaced, usually when fully charged.

In certain embodiments, the ECP includes a second battery that can beremoved. The ECP can store electrical energy in the second battery. Thesecond battery can be the same as the first battery or can be adifferent size. For example, the second battery could be much smallerdesign to receive the electrical energy during an amount of time toreplace the first battery.

In operation 1025, the ECP monitors a speed of the turbine and a chargelevel of the first battery. The speed of the turbine is monitored toensure the safety. Excessive speeds of turbines cause the turbine tooverheat resulting in a possible explosion. The speed of the turbine ismonitored at both the ECP and the ECP server. The turbine can beprogrammed to brake when reaching a safety threshold.

The charge level of the first battery and second battery are monitoredfor maximum energy capturing of the wind. When a first battery is fullycharged, a notification or alarm is triggered at the ECP and the ECPserver. The notification informs a user that the first battery needs tobe removed for transfer to the grid or replaced by an empty battery.When the first battery is fully charged the ECP directs the electricalenergy to a second battery or to the energy transfer port. When thefirst battery is returned or replaced by an empty battery, the ECP canresume standard charging operations.

In certain embodiments, the second battery remains charging even if thefirst battery is returned empty or replaced by an empty battery. Whenthe second battery is fully charged, a second notification or alarmindicating the second battery is fully charged is triggered at the ECPand the ECP server. The second notification or alarm indicates that thesecond battery is ready to be removed for transfer to the grid orreplaced by an empty battery.

In operation 1030, the ECP transmits the turbine speed and charge levelto an ECP server. The turbine speed and charge level of the ECP aredisplayed for a user to determine when to shut down the ECP or replacethe battery.

Although FIG. 10 illustrates an example process 1000 for controlling anECP for capturing energy from the wind, respectively, various changescould be made to FIG. 10. For example, while shown in a series of steps,various steps in each figure could overlap, occur in parallel, occur ina different order, or occur multiple times.

Although the present disclosure has been described with exemplaryembodiments, various changes and modifications may be suggested to oneskilled in the art. It is intended that the present disclosure encompasssuch changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A specialized funnel shell for accelerating wind,the specialized funnel shell comprising: a horizontal top airfoil thatis inverted and substantially linear along a width of the specializedfunnel shell, a horizontal bottom airfoil that is substantially linearalong the width of the specialized funnel shell, and two vertical sideairfoils that are substantially linear along a height of the specializedfunnel shell.
 2. The specialized funnel shell of claim 1, wherein endsof the horizontal top airfoil and the two vertical side airfoils meet ascorners.
 3. The specialized funnel shell of claim 1, wherein ends of thehorizontal bottom airfoil and the two vertical side airfoils meet ascorner.
 4. The specialized funnel shell of claim 1, further comprising:a first battery configured to store electrical energy; and a processorcoupled to the first battery and configured to: detect when the firstbattery is fully charged or removed, and transfer the electrical energyto a second battery when the first battery is fully charged or removed.5. The specialized funnel shell of claim 4, further comprising an energytransfer port configured to export the electrical energy.
 6. Thespecialized funnel shell of claim 5, wherein the processor is furtherconfigured to transfer the electrical energy to the energy transfer portfor exporting when the first battery is fully charged or removed.
 7. Anenergy capturing pod (ECP) for accelerating air, the ECP comprising: aturbine; and a specialized funnel shell comprising: a horizontal topsurface that is inverted and substantially linear along a width of thespecialized funnel shell, a horizontal bottom surface that issubstantially linear along the width of the specialized funnel shell,and two vertical side surfaces that are substantially linear along aheight of the specialized funnel shell.
 8. The ECP of claim 7, whereinends of the horizontal top surface and the two vertical side surfacesmeet as corners.
 9. The ECP of claim 7, wherein ends of the horizontalbottom surface and the two vertical side surfaces meet as corners. 10.The ECP of claim 7, further comprising: a first battery configured tostore electrical energy generated by the turbine; a processor coupled tothe first battery and configured to: detect when the first battery isfully charged or removed; and transfer the electrical energy to a secondbattery when the first battery is fully charged or removed.
 11. The ECPof claim 10, further comprising an energy transfer port configured toexport the electrical energy.
 12. The ECP of claim 11, wherein theprocessor is further configured to transfer the electrical energy to theenergy transfer port for exporting when the first battery is fullycharged or removed.
 13. The ECP of claim 11, wherein the processor isfurther configured to: receive, from an ECP server, instructions forregulating a transfer of the energy; transfer the electrical energy tothe first battery and the energy transfer port according to theinstructions received from the ECP server.
 14. An energy capturing pod(ECP) system for capturing wind, the ECP system comprising: an ECPserver configured to monitor and control a plurality of ECPs; and theplurality of ECPS, each of the ECPs comprising: a turbine; and aspecialized funnel shell comprising: a horizontal top airfoil that isinverted and substantially linear along a width of the specializedfunnel shell, a horizontal bottom airfoil that is substantially linearalong the width of the specialized funnel shell, and two vertical sideairfoils that are substantially linear along a height of the specializedfunnel shell.
 15. The ECP system of claim 14, wherein ends of thehorizontal top airfoil and the two vertical side airfoils meet ascorners.
 16. The ECP system of claim 14, wherein ends of the horizontalbottom airfoil and the two vertical side airfoils meet as corner. 17.The ECP system of claim 14, each of the ECPs further comprising: a firstbattery configured to store electrical energy generated by the turbine;and a processor coupled to the first battery and configured to: detectwhen the first battery is fully charged or removed, and transfer theelectrical energy to a second battery when the first battery is fullycharged or removed.
 18. The ECP system of claim 17, further comprisingan energy transfer port configured to export the electrical energy. 19.The ECP system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configuredto transfer the electrical energy to the energy transfer port forexporting when the first battery is fully charged or removed.
 20. TheECP system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to:receive, from the ECP server, instructions for regulating a transfer ofthe energy; transfer the electrical energy to the first battery and theenergy transfer port according to the instructions received from the ECPserver.